The U.S. Census Bureau's Foreign Trade Division (FTD) has posted a warning to the trade community that some freight forwarders and Customs brokers may need to update their current commodity number classifications as updated/new Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) numbers go into effect on July 1, 2010.

HTS commodity classification codes are generally revised twice annually, in January and July by the U.S. International Trade Commission. The codes are usually revised because members in the trade community are looking for more detailed statistical data. Recommendations for revisions to existing classifications or for the establishment of new classifications should be submitted to the Chairman of the Committee for Statistical Annotation of Tariff Schedules.

In addition, the FTD posted a link to an improved Schedule B database of export commodity codes. According to FTD, "the new improved search tool will interpret common commercial product information and interact intelligently and intuitively with users to help alleviate the complex nature of finding the correct code in the Schedule B book."